Jacqui is an archaeologist, with more than 35 years experience in professional, field and academic archaeology. She specialises in archaeological science (particularly bioarchaeology), the archaeology of islands and coasts, contemporary and historical archaeology and heritage management. She is also a founding member of the interdisciplinary research Festivals Research Group set up in partnership with Creative Cardiff in 2016 to undertake collaborative research on the festival scene, and to consider urgent questions on the future of festivals.
Jacqui writes:
Festivals play a significant role in British culture. Pre-COVID-19, the UK music festivals and concerts market was worth an estimated £2.6bn with over a quarter of UK adults attending at least one music festival a year. In addition to their economic importance, festivals contribute socially and culturally by creating a sense of belonging and memorable experiences, driving creativity and delivering wider benefits to communities.
The Research Group was set up in 2016 bringing together academics from across the University with a passionate interest in festivals and festivalgoers. Creative Cardiff was one of the founding members of the Festivals Research Group.
Sara Pepper and her team were the chemical element that bonded us together and helped us find a common research focus.
With Creative Cardiff we enjoyed our first collaboration with Jon Rostron and the annual urban contemporary Sŵn Festival in 2016. Supported by funding from AHRC, we explored the impact of Sŵn Festival on the audiences, the city and its music scene. We also set up Cardiff’s first pop-up Music Museum.
Even before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an urgent need for the festival sector to develop innovative sustainable and resilient solutions to preserve the social and cultural value of these events. Over the last four years, Creative Cardiff has facilitated collaborations with other festivals, promoters and policy makers in the Cardiff City Region and beyond. The Festivals Research Group has worked closely with the National Eisteddfod and Hay Festival, providing new insights into audience experiences and attitudes towards sustainable events.
It’s a beautiful thing to be surrounded by other individuals and organisations who share a common passion in wanting to make positive contributions to the staging of sustainable festivals. Collaborating with Creative Cardiff has created unique opportunities for us to communicate and maximize the impact of our research, benefit festivals and shape a future research agenda on this important part of the creative economy.
